Current Facebook Status: has a 3yo Superman currently dressed up as Ironman. He was Wolverine earlier. Gotta ♥ a box of superhero dress up clothes!

Currently Playing in the Background: Hannah Montana in the other room

Well, it is that time of year again. Time to set resolutions for the next year. I haven’t really set resolutions – not specific, measureable ones – in years. Like Mary Connealy, I know myself and know that next year I’ll look back and be like ‘oh. Right. I wanted to do that…’ How do I know Mary Connealy said that? She mentioned it in the comments on Seekerville. Because this is the topic of Seekerville‘s blog today as well.

But things are different now. I have a blog! And about six readers who will keep me accountable ;). By the end of the year, maybe I’ll have that doubled to twelve. Hey, you never know!

So this year, I’m making resolutions and setting clear, measureable goals. They go together. Many of them revolve around developing a career as an author, but not all do. Some are goals in and of themselves, some have sub-goals. My plan is this: to set annual goals, each month break them down into monthly goals and from there, each week.

So what are they?

1. Do my Bible study every day by the end of the year.
– Just jumping into it and saying ‘every day! This week!’ is unrealistic. I’ll start with a goal of say 2 days a week and grow it from there.

2. Blog. Three times a week. Every week. Or at least a note why I won’t be blogging that day. The three weekly topics:
a. Monday Musings: News, Notes and Nuttiness [yes, the third alliteration needs work ;)]. It’s what it sounds like – any news or random thoughts I had in the week prior as well as my goals for the current week [based on these annual goals].
b. What I read Wednesday – just what it sounds like ;). Book reviews =D.
c. Flash Fiction Friday – continue with the FFF with Jan and Andrea

11. Contests – enter them 😉
a. Enter two manuscripts in Genesis – Unbreak Her Heart and Nick/Debbie [and give it a title :p]
b. Join RWA
c. Enter RWA contests 😉
d. Enter at least one MS in RWA’s Golden Hearte. Enter Great Expectations again [entering the first time this week]
f. Try to enter at least one contest at least every other month [those above are the biggie annual ones – at least the ones I know of]

14. Always remember Why I Do What I Do:So there you have it. TenElevenTwelveThirteen Fourteen clear, measureable goals. Note that I didn’t put ‘find an agent’ or ‘get published’. Why not? Because, to a degree, those things are out of my control. I can polish and send all the manuscripts in the world to Jeff Gerke, but odds are, he’s not going to publish me. Why? Because I don’t write stuff he’d be interested in. All I can do is find out which agents/editors/houses/etc. would suit me and my manuscripts and submit to them. From there it’s out of my hands.

Note that ‘potty training Christopher’ also isn’t on there :p. That one is also completely out of my hands…

5 Responses to New Year’s Resolutions – or Goals… Specific and Measureable

Wow! That is quite a list…but a list that I greatly admire you for posting for anyone and everyone to see. It takes a strong person indeed to make themselves vulnerable to others, and in noting your hopes and dreams here, you have shown your strength…AND your determination to complete the good work God started in you! I will support you in any way I can and already find myself inspired to carefully consider my own list of goals. Congratulations dear friend for taking one more step toward the person you want to be = )

Ok, I’m worn out just reading your list, but I’m so proud of you for setting goals and working toward them. I still have to sit down and do mine. I usually take a day and spend time thinking, praying, reading my Bible to get some direction for the coming new year. I’ll post mine after I’ve done that.